Meta’s May 2026 restructuring, which targeted roughly 8,000 positions or about 10 percent of its workforce to streamline operations and accelerate artificial intelligence spending, serves as the dominant factor shaping Q3 headcount expectations. The company’s June 30 filing reported 75,472 employees, explicitly noting that most of the laid-off staff would depart by the end of the third quarter. This aligns with repeated statements from leadership emphasizing leaner teams while capital expenditures on AI infrastructure continue to rise. Alternative data sources such as LinkedIn show higher counts around 164,000–165,000, but official reported figures remain the resolution benchmark. Q3 earnings, due shortly, will provide the definitive number and any additional attrition signals.